This is not a "How To" but rather a list of links for various service installers, of which there are now quite a few. I have little or no experience with most of these installers, so feel free to post your experience within the thread, for the benefit of others.

Windows

Note that most of those installers run FAH as a service in exactly the same way, so the end result will be the same, it's just the installers that are different. Exceptions are the Firedaemon method, TRC-13's "stealth installer", and running FAH as a Scheduled Task.

This installer has been around for quite awhile, so although I have not used it myself, I feel safe in "recommending" it.

TIP: Whether you use this installer or another, pk's service.cfg utility could come in handy. It allows you to change the options or "flags" that a service runs with, for example to add (or remove) -advmethods. I prefer this to editing the registry with regedit.

This is what I use. I call this the 'srvany' method (as does the author of the installer ) since it uses a Microsoft program called srvany.exe, although I suspect several of these other installers use it also. I consider this "easy to use" but it's not "drop dead easy" since there are a few manual steps involved, but once it is set up, it works extremely well.

Not much talk about this lately, but Firedaemon, a for-sale software program, can be used for free to run a single application as a service. If you want to run two instances of FAH, you will need to buy a license to Firedaemon, which I believe is not expensive ($25?), or you can choose one of the other installers which can install multiple instances of FAH. Others are free to disagree with me, but I see little reason to use this method.

Under the heading "January 27, 2004 - An Update At Last", last paragraph is:

Quote:

I recently wrote another small program that might interest some folders. Its a simple installer for version 4.0 of the console. Its a single 1.5MB which includes v4.0 of the console and both cores (Tinker and Gromacs). It also has a simple GUI for setting the username, team, and various other options. Check it out here.

I have a couple of machines that I want to install additional [email protected] instances to boost double gro performance (per this thread). So, I tried all of these installers (it took awhile).

pk's [email protected] Service Installer*When running you get a simple GUI prompting you for some particulars. Of particular note is that it batch installs multiple clients by adding the machine ID to the end of the Service Name and Installation Location that you input.
*Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any way to set machine ID -- the installer takes care of it automagically, starting at ID1. This is fine for a virgin install, but if you already have an installation, this doesn't work.
*Lets you input -flags you want -- adds the -service and -local flags automatically.
*Make sure you hit the Configure Client button or else you'll be folding anonymouslyfor team 14
*Creates an uninstall script (which I needed once I found that I had two ID1's running)

[email protected]@Home Service Installer (BETA)Like David, I liked what I saw -- until I actually used it.
*Quick -- doesn't allow editing flags
*Custom -- allows you to edit everything except has an Auto setting for machine ID. May have same problem as PK's installer in this regard.
*This installer doesn't appear to actually do anything -- doesn't create a directory, doesn't install any files, doesn't create a service and then errors out when it can't start the service it didn't create. I tried using the default DL location for the FAH files and a local directory where I had copied them. I may try figuring out what I'm doing wrong or I may just chalk this up to being a BETA version and move on. I haven't decided yet.

[email protected] Service using SRVANY *I skipped SRVANY because I was looking for a "drop dead easy" method of installing and didn't want to bother installing the console manually -- I'm looking for an installer that does it for me.

FAH4 Console Installer*This is what I have been using until now for installing as a service
*It does not give an option for setting the -local flag and doesn't set it automatically -- if installling more than one instance (ie., MP or HT boxes), you'll have to edit the registry to add it. EDIT -- v0.32 dated 4/6/04 now has an option for setting the -local flag*Doesn't give option for -verbosity flag -- have to edit registry
*Doesn't batch install like PK's installer does
*Doesn't have an uninstall routine like PK's installer

OCC [email protected] Installer*Ummm, if you want to fold for OCC's team, then this is the installer for you. David, you may want to remove this from your list?

Team MacOSX Windows Service Installer*Like the SRVANY method above, requires you to install the console manually first.
*Allows you to change the default directory, but later in the intall it locks you down to the [email protected] directory again. Not sure what you'd do if you already had something in that directory.

TRC-13's stealth installer*I couldn't get to the website -- want to run as a service anyway, so this really isn't an option for me.

All in all, they all have their pitfalls and none are perfect. If PK allowed you to specify the ID, his would be king. If FAH4Console Installer set a few more flags, it could be king (an uninstall would be nice too).

IMO, if you have a "virgin" box, PK's is the way to go. If you already have an installation, then I think FAH4Console Installer is best -- assuming your comfortable with REGEDIT.

Dave

EDIT Added link for double gro optimization thread

Last edited by dasman on Fri Apr 09, 2004 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

After going through all of the above, just went to the FAH4Console website and he has posted an undated version (v0.32 on 4/6/04) -- it still includes the cores, but now lets you set the -local flag. Now the only regediting you need is if you want the verbosity flag

I've still got a couple of machines that I want to add another service to -- I'll try SRVANY (and maybe MacOSX's) again.

Dave,

Have you done any more installations?

I've started looking at these installers. Here are a few of the features I'm looking for:

Configurable installation directory. I like to install each instance of FAH within a subdirectory within the [email protected] directory, e.g. [email protected]/cpu1. This allows me to "share" a single directory, which cuts down on the clutter in My Network Places.

Ability to use an existing installation and make it run as a service.

Allow configuration of ALL command-line options without the need to edit the registry.

Ability to install multiple clients, all at once, or add an instance later.

A GUI front-end would be nice, but is not a requirement.

My front-runners are as follows, but I am going to do some research before I try any of them.

pk's service installer

+ Seems to meet all of my personal criteria

- Doesn't look to be quite as easy to use as I'm looking for. Installing FAH as a service the way I want would require a command line such as

I still have reservations about it including the exe's, rather than downloading them from Stanford's secure server.

NoahJ's Service Installer

The current version installs only a single instance of FAH. A dual cpu version is in the works. I am not interested until it can install two instances of FAH, but I believe this feature will be along soon, and otherwise this looks like a nice installer.

No, I haven't -- I've gotten busy at the office and the dissappearance of the double gros has reduced the need a little. I still have 3 machines I want to change from GUI to service, but haven't gotten around to it.

Quote:

1. Configurable installation directory. I like to install each instance of FAH within a subdirectory within the [email protected] directory, e.g. [email protected]/cpu1. This allows me to "share" a single directory, which cuts down on the clutter in My Network Places. 2. Ability to use an existing installation and make it run as a service. 3. Allow configuration of ALL command-line options without the need to edit the registry. 4. Ability to install multiple clients, all at once, or add an instance later. 5. A GUI front-end would be nice, but is not a requirement.

From what I remember, I don't think any of the installers will do everything on your list:

PK's:
1. takes what you input as a directory and adds the machine ID to the end of it (which it controls, not you). If you input \program files\FAH and want 2 installs, it creates \program files\FAH1 and \program files\FAH2 directories.
2. I don't remember if it will convert an existing installation -- wasn't looking for that feature. But, considering how it handles the machine ID's, I don't think it will do this (my impression was that it was oblivious to previous installs).
3. It will allow you to config all the command line options -- by radio button for most and then an "other" box.
4. Will do multiple clients at once, but I can't seem to handle adding any later (due to the machine ID issue).
5. GUI -- yes

Buzzard's
1. Will let you install to any directory you want
2. Will not convert an existing installation, only install new
3. Does most command line options -- verbosity is the only one that I need that it doesn't do
4. Will not do multiple clients at once, but you can add additional clients whenever you want.
5. GUI -- yes, nicer and better laid out than PK's

Something I'd like to see is maintenance of an existing installation (ie., change verbosity level, add local flag, etc). I think only Noah's does this -- PK's and Buzzard's are installation only.

If any of the three were tweaked a little, they could be perfect -- they all fall just a little short...

Dave

EDIT I just re-read your initial post and realized that I was oblivious to PK's service.cfg utility -- the maint. issue is a mute point since we can use his to maintain any install...

EDIT2 When your first post is finalized, you should consider creating a sticky for it as well...

When your first post is finalized, you should consider creating a sticky for it as well.

It's linked to from the "Links" thread. I'm trying to avoid filling the entire screen with stickies, but I agree, this one might deserve a spot.

pk's installer - I haven't tried it yet, so I am going only by the doc, but it looks like the command-line version of the installer will support existing installations and will allow the Machine ID to be specified, with the -cpu option.

Buzzard's installer - I have posted a question/issue at his forum about his installer including the .exe's. I believe this is a bad idea, representing a potential security risk. Even if I would use this installer myself, if will always carry this caveat in big red letters in my recommendation.

pk's installer - I haven't tried it yet, so I am going only by the doc, but it looks like the command-line version of the installer will support existing installations and will allow the Machine ID to be specified, with the -cpu option.

I missed the cmd line version, I was only looking for GUI (ok, I admit it -- I'm lazy. I don't like cmd lines if I can help it )

haysdb wrote:

Buzzard's installer - I have posted a question/issue at his forum about his installer including the .exe's. I believe this is a bad idea, representing a potential security risk. Even if I would use this installer myself, if will always carry this caveat in big red letters in my recommendation.

Name Task as you wish and click the "When my computer starts" radio button.

Click Next, check the "open advanced..." checkbox and Finish.

Go Settings tab and uncheck "Stop task if it runs for..."

DONE!

No windows will popup on the next reboot. No .REG files to add. No .EXE's to download. You just need to have the client already configured. I have 2 instances of the client running on my dualie using two scheduled tasks.

Zyzzyx wrote: Does this list it with all the other Services, letting you stop/start it if need be?

No, but it will be listed under the scheduled tasks control panel. From there you can start and stop as you wish. Only issue is that if you stop, then start it again after windows has booted, the client will become visible (IME).

You set it up to start on comp. start.

And as it's the GUI version, you'd add command line options (first) as usual.

Name Task as you wish and click the "When my computer starts" radio button.

And yes it would be more stealth than service but it may be more suitable for some people... and no I can't think why, I just saw and posted the quote and link to the original post in case it was of use.

Possible use would be a part time comp. with several users with their own login I guess.

I recently used NoahJ's Service Installer ( aka MacOSX installer) to set up a service for a single, existing instance of [email protected] console.

After running the installer and rebooting, I got an error saying that the executable file couldn't be found. I copied SRVANY.EXE (one of the files the installer put in my [email protected] directory) to my Windows\System32 directory and that fixed it.

Other than that the install was very easy, and I've had no problems since.

I need to qualify my comments on the new FAH500-Console.exe "integrated" service installer. When I tried to install two clients on a hyperthreaded cpu, I ran into trouble, or rather, I got confused. I bailed on the built-in installer and tried PK's service installer. I like it better. It is "more robust" (offers more options) and guides you through the process better. It gives you the option of modifying the "flags" such as -advmethods. It provides a simpler service name: FAH1 and FAH2 vs [email protected]:[email protected]+CPU1+FAH500-Console.exe and [email protected]:[email protected]+CPU2+FAH500-Console.exe

Note: this is not an in-depth review of the two installers, but rather my off-the-cuff first impressions.

I tried installing fah5 as a service on a rebuilt machine 2 days ago and ran into some problems/issues:

It appears that it automatically installs to the directory the DL file is in. I usually DL files to my desktop and then run them -- this ended up installing FAH on my desktop. Not what I wanted.

If you want to install multiple instances, copy the DL file into the directories you want to use before running and make sure to select the correct ID # during installation (I couldn't figure out how to change the ID # after installation).

Can't do anything with flags -- couldn't even find a way to do it using regedit...

For whatever reason, I had a hard time uninstalling the service that was installed on my desktop -- I still have registry entries for it that I can't delete. It would be nice if they had an Uninstall routine...

From your post, I gather that PK is able in install the v5 client? Interesting -- I need to give that a try again...

I tried modifying the command line switches with PK's service.cfg utility, but it could not find the service name, even when I cut-and-pasted the name as shown in the Computer Management Services list. I am guessing it's some glitch with the "+" characters in the service name, but that is purely a guess. I did not try editing the registry since that's just too crude. I figured if I needed to manually edit the registry, I would just try a different installer.

Yes, PK's installer will install the new 5.x version. Or at least the latest version I downloaded from his site will.

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